Media Orientation Workshop on Avian Influenza: Togo, July 2007

A three-day media orientation workshop was organised by the Academy for Educational Development (AED) under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s AI.COMM Program in Kpalime, Togo from July 11 to 13 2007. The workshop was intended to improve information on avian influenza (AI) as conveyed by the media; to increase the amount of accurate reporting on AI, and to contribute to the adoption of positive, AI-preventive behaviours by the general population.

The briefing was attended by 30 professionals, including 15 participants from print and broadcast media. The remainder of the attendees included the U.S. Ambassador, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) staff, Agronomes et Veterinares sans Frontires (AVSF)/Togo staff, USAID officials, and Togolese government representatives.

According to the organisers, the workshop was intended to be as interactive, participatory and hands-on as possible, and was based on AI.COMM’s Media Orientation Workshop Guide for Africa.

The workshop provided the journalists with basic information on AI, including the routes of transmission from animal-to-animal and from animal-to-human; those at highest risk of being infected by AI; behaviours that contribute to spread of AI; and behaviours that help to prevent and control AI. Information was also provided on the Togolese strategic plan on AI; recent experiences and lessons learned from outbreaks of AI in Niger, Nigeria, Ghana, DRC, Cameroon, Burkina Faso; the present situation related to AI in Togo and the rest of the world; and what the Togolese government has done to respond to the outbreak.

Human and animal health officials elaborated on risks, symptoms and preventive measures for AI. There was also a session on the economic consequences of the AI outbreak in Togo, particularly in the lives of large and small stockbreeders, as well as average households.

A final session specifically highlighted the role of journalists in the prevention and control of AI. This segment addressed topics such as:

• The various important roles that the media can play in the prevention and control of AI
• Qualities of a good segment or article on AI prevention and control
• The types of coverage on AI already undertaken by the journalists in attendance, and the obstacles they encountered
• The types of media formats used to cover AI issues, as well as the types of issues covered
• The types of issues related to AI that could be covered in the future.

The group also conducted a critical analysis of articles that had already been published on AI.

The second day of the workshop was devoted to visits to a poultry farm and a poultry market in the surrounding area, and then working in small groups to produce news reports on AI, mostly based on their visits to the farm and market.

On the third and final day of the workshop, the participants worked in six small groups, each of which was assigned an issue to ponder (and to base news coverage on). The remainder of the workshop was devoted to viewing and reading the various news products on AI, providing feedback, and making revisions. Both the technical experts and journalists were able to provide their input.

At the end of the workshop, the participants reviewed existing sources of information on AI, including websites where reliable information could be obtained. Pre and post-workshop knowledge tests were given to the journalists.